Boiler cleaner



March 1, 1932. N. l.. sNow ET AL BOILER CLEANER 4 Sheets-Sheet l- Original Filed Feb. 9, .1925

Nmfl.

March 1, 1932. N L SNOW ET AL 1,847,448

BOILER CLEANER Original Filed Feb. 9, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNEYS March l, 1932. N L ,k SNOW ET AL 1,87412148 'BOILER CLEANER Original Filed Feb- 9. 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 if i mik/WMM y ATToRNEYs March 1, 1932. N. l.. sNow ET A1.

BOILER CLEANER Original Filed Feb. 9, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TORS #0R/7m .s/Yaw By 5H/wa ff. cm WWK/@WWK AMA A TTORNEYS Patented Mar. 1, 1932 UNITED. "STATES PATENT-orner NORMAN L. SNOW, OF NEW CANAAN, CONNEYCTICT, AND SAI\IUEL F.; COX.- OF DETROIT,

y MICHIGAN, ASSIG-NORS TO DIAMOND POWER SPECIALTY .CORPORATIONl DETROIT, MICHIGAN, AYCORPORATION OF MICHIGAN v Y y Y..

:oILnn- CLEANER `Original application filed February 9, 1925, Serial No; 8,982. Divided and this application led January 22, 1927, Serial N0. 162,739.

The invention relates to boiler cleaners and has among its objects to provide means for discharging one or more jets of cleaning iiuid adjacent parts of the boiler to becleaned.

5 A further feature of the invention resides in novel means for controlling. and operating ya boiler cleaner in connection with a locomol10 pending application, SerialNumber 8,082,

iiled February 9, 1925. n

Referring to the drawings: y

Figure l is a side elevational view of a locomotive showing applied'thereto somewhat diagrammatically, our device for controlling the operation of a blower from a moving part of the locomotive;

- Figure 2 is a diagrammatic Jfragmentary horizontal view partly in section through one or the side water legs of the locomotive showing the boiler cleaner in projected operative position; Y

Figure 3 is an elevation partly in section showing the means for actuating the boiler cleaner; Y l p Figure 4 is a view partly inV section through 4 4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a horizontal fragmentary section showing the retracting means for the blower, the blower being shown in `project-ed position;

Figure 6 is an elevation of the reduction gearing operating the valve control mechanisni;

Figure 7 is a plan thereof;

Figure 8 is a. plany view of a detail of a modified construction for actuating a plurality of blowers, and

Figure 9 is an elevation oli' the same showing the cleaning fluid supply pipes and valves therefor.

In the drawings reference character A represents a locomotive oi suitable construction, which as shown in Figure 2 is ordinarily provided with tube sheet 20, boiler tubes 21, and the side walls or water legs 22. one of which is shown in Figure 2. C indicates a boiler cleaner unit or blower element housed in a sleeve 23 extending through the water leg 22.- ()leaning fluid from any suitable source Renewed January 28,1931. l

maybeisupplied tothe blower as by a pipe `26,

the `supply of cleaning fluid being controlled as hereinafter described. It is preferred to provide a boiler cleaner unit in each of the side wall waterlegs 22, each blower being preferably constructed as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5. The pipe 26 has a branch 32'terminating in a nozzle 33 for directing a jet of cleaning fluid against the blades of a turbine rotor 34 keyed to shaft 35; the latter being mountedin the reduction gear housing D.v 36 is a shaft upon'which is mounted a gear 37 driven by the turbine rotor 34 through suitable reduction gearing E. The shaft 36 carries a worm 38 meshing with worm wheel 39 which is'provided with a sleeved portion 40 having a splined connection with a shaft 41 by reason of the pin 42 engaging the slot 43 of the shaft.

The cleaning fluid supply pipe 26 communicates with a chamber 44 oi? a fixed blower housingV 45 mounted within the sleeve 23. This sleeve 23 may be expanded into the water leg oi the locomotive boiler. Theblower C comprises a slidablepart 46 vand a slidable and 'rotatable blower head 47, the part- 46 having a pin 48 slidable in a slot 49 of the fixed housing. The part 46 also has a port 50 adapted to successively register, as the blower head 47 is rotated by shaft 41, with a plurality of passages 51 each of which terminates in a nozzle 52. The nozzles are directed at different angles 'so thatpas they are successively brought to register with they port 50, cleaning Huid will be directed in successively advancing ets .of cleaning fluid across the tube sheet of the locomotive for substantially half the width of the tubesheet, it being understood that where two blowers are used the blower on the opposite side will clean the other half of theftube sheet.

Projecting from housing 45 are a plurality of guide pins 53 uponA which is slidably mounted a plate 54 normally urged rearwardly by springs 55. The rear of sha-ft 41 is provided with a collar 56 pinned at 57 with the shaft 41. A thrust bearing 58 is provided for taking up the thrust produced blower C.

Suitably supported or suspended as by brackets 60 from a convenient part of the lo` path of which is a valve stem 66 carrying a l valve disc 67. The valve disc 67 controls the passage of cleaning fluid from a main supply pipe 68, connected with a suitable source of cleaning fluid such as the steam dome 69, to thesupply pipe 26. H indicates the fitting which encloses the valve 67 and connects the pipes 68 and 26. A spring 70 normally holds the valve` 67 upon its seat 71 to prevent the passage of cleaning fluid from the main supply pipe 68 to the pipe 26. 72 is a rocker arm which may be roclringly supported at 78 to a convenient part of the locomotive. nected at 74 with the rocker arm 72 is a dog 75 which engages the teeth onv gear 61 to actuate the same. The rocker arm may be rocked by connecting it with any suitable moving part of the locomotive as, forexample, the rocker arm may be connected at Y63 with the main locomotive valve actuating mechanism J.

If preferred, a blower unit may be located on either side of the locomotive, the mechanism shown in Figure 1 being duplicated on the other side, or if preferred, a single blower may be employed of suitable capacity for cleaning all of the parts desired;or a blower may be located in each of the side wall water legs of the locomot-ive both blowers being conh trolled byrmechanism on only one side of the locomotive. To the latter end the mechanism as described above may be modified as shown in Figures 8 and 9. In these views the disc 64 isformed with a. pair of cams 65a and 65b which rotate in separate planes and are adaptedto successively engage the valve stems 66a and 6 6b of the fittings Ha and Hb respectively to unseat the valves 67a and 67h. The valve 67a, upon being unseated by contact of the cam 65a with the valvev stem 66a admits cleaningvluid from the supply pipe 68 to the pipe 26? which supplies cleaning fluid to one of the blowers on the side of the locomotive. The disc 64 may be actuated in a manner `corresponding to the mechanism described for operating the disc 64 and the blowers may also be similar to that shown in Figures 8, 4 and 5. As the disc 64 rotates, the cam 65au will pass beyond'the valve stem 66EL to permit the valve 67 a'to be seated under. the influence of spring 70a, thus shutting off the supply of cleaning fluid from the supply pipe 68 to the pipe 26a. The cam 65b will then actuate the valve stem 66b to unseat the valve 67b against the action of spring 70h, thus establishing communication between the supply pipe 68 and tive travels a predetermined distance. The

cams 65, or 65L and 65h, may be suitably shaped to give the performance of the blowers as desired. For example by increasing or ydecreasing the circumferential face of Vthe cams, the period of blowing may be increased or'decreased. The valve stems 66, or 66 and 66", will be actuated slowly or'quiclrly depending on how steep the radial faces of the respective cams are, as will be readily understood.

After a predetermined distance has been` travelled by the locomotive, the rocker arm 72 will have actuated the dog 75 and gear 61 so that the disc 64 will have been rotated sufficiently to cause the cam 65 to act upon the valve stem 66 to unseat the valve 67 as shown in Figure 6, thus supplying cleaning fluid fromrthe main supply pipe 68 toV the pipe 26 and thence to the blower such as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5. As the disc 64 continues to slowly rotate, the cam 65 will be carried beyond the point of engagement of the cam and valve stem 66, whereupon the spring 7 O will return the valve 67 to its seat and cause the blower to be retracted to its inoperative position. Likewise, the blower on the opposite side of the locomotive will function in any predetermined time relation every time the locomotive has travelled a predetermined distance.

With references to Figures 8 and 9, in which the actuating mechanism for the blowers is entirely located on one side of the locomotive, the disc 64 first actuates one of the valve stems, as 66a by contact with the cam 65-, and preferably after the blower communicating with pipe -26a has functioned, the cam 651 acts to unseat valve 67b to cause the other blower connected with 26b to function.

The blowers C are normally housed within the respective sleeves 23 Vand thus protected fromthe heat of the fire chamber. Upon admission of cleaning fluid to the pipe 26 the blower `is automatically projected forwardly under the influence of the cleaning fluid and against the action of the spring 55 into the position shown in Figure 4. Thus the blower head 47 and part 46 are projected forwardly, the latterpart being guided by the engagement of the pin 48 with the slot 49. The rod 41 carrying the blower head is also projected forwardly toward the fire box, carrying also the plates 54 and compressing springs 55, the thrust bearing 58 absorbing the force of the thrust. The shaft 41 has splined engagement lili -brought into registration with port 50.

Simultaneously with the projection of the blower, cleaning fluid passing through pipe 26 and branch pipe 32 is ejected from nozzle 33 to act upon the turbine 34 to cause rotation of shaft 35. The latter shaft, through the Vreduction gearing E, serves to rotate the shaft 36 carrying the worm 38 which in turn actuates shaft 41 to `rotate the blower head 47 relatively to the part 46. Thus cleaning fluid is successively supplied to the nozzles 52 which by reason of their varying angularity, cause jets of lcleaning fluid to sweep the tube sheet so as to trace lines across the tube sheet advancing to substantially midway of the tube sheet, where two blowers are employed. By proportioiiing-the relative circumferential length of the port 50 and passages 51 the cleaning fluid may be admitted and cut off at the desired point so as to restrict the jet of cleaning fluid to the parts of the boiler to be cleaned. l/Vhen the supply of cleaning fluid to pipe 26 is cut off the springs 55 act on plate 54 and shaft 41 to return the blower within the sleeve 23.

While we have shown our invention applied to locomotive power plants it should be understood that the invention Vis in no manner confined thereto, as the performance of a blower unit used in connection with stationary power plants may be likewise caused to automatically function after a predetermined movement of convenient mo"- ing'part associated with the powerlplant. Furthermore, instead of employing blower units of the construction shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5, it is obvious that any other suitable construction of blower unit might be substituted therefor. Also, if desired, both of the blowers described, or any number of blowers could be operated simultaneously or in any sequence preferred.

That we claim as our invention is:

1. In combination withv a locomotive having a part continuously movable during the operation thereof, a boiler cleaner unit for cleaning parts of the boiler, and means associated with the said moving part for periodically causing the said unit to function to clean the said parts of the boiler.

2. Iii combination with a locomotive, a boiler cleaner therefor, and means operable upon a predetermined travel of said locomotive for automatically operating the boiler cleaner.

3. A boiler cleaner for locomotives, com prising a blower unit, a source of cleaning fluid, means for controlling the supply of said fluid from the source to the blower unit, and meansautomatically responsive to a pre` determined distance travelled by the locomotive for acting .upon said cleaning fluid control means to admit cleaningfluid to the blowerA unit. f

4. In combination with a locomotive, a boiler cleaner unit therefor,a member movable during the travel ofsaid locomotive and means responsive to a Vmovement of saidV member for causing the unit to function to clean parts of the locomotive.

5. In combination with a locomotive, a

boiler cleaner unit therefor, and means iesponsive to a predetermined travel of the locomotive for periodically causing the unit to function to clean parts of the locomotive.

(i. In combination with a locomotive having a part movable in time relation to the travel of the locomotiveV and havingqa side "i lwall fluid, a blower unit housed within the water leg, a source of cleaning water leg, a valve controlled source of cleaning fluid communicating with they blower,

and means actuated by said moving part for i periodically acting to unseat the valve to supply cleaning fluid to the blower.

7. In combination with a locomotive, a boiler cleaner unit therefor, a source of cleaning fluid, a valve for controlling the supplyof cleaning fluid from said source to said unit, gearing including a cam member, means extending in the path of the 'cani and connected to unseat said valve, and means actuated by a moving part of the locomotive f-or operatively engaging said gearing whereby the valve is periodically unseated to supply cleaning fluid to said boiler cleaner unit.

8. In combination with a locomotive, a

boiler cleaner unit therefor, a source of cleanf ing fluid, a valve for controlling the supply of cleaning fluid from said source to said unit, a rocker arm connected to receive movement from a moving part of the locomotive, a ydog reciprocated by s aid rocker arm, reduction gearing including a gear actuated by said dog and a cam, means located in the path of the cam and connected to unseat said valve whereby saidV valve is automatically and periodically unseated to supply cleaning fluid to the cleaner unit. v

9. In combination with a locomotive, a rotatable blower unit, a member movable in timed relation to the travel of said locoinotive, a supply of cleaning fluid, and means controlled by said member for periodically rotating said blower unit and admitting cleaning fluid from said supply to said blower. j

10. In combination with a locomotive, a boiler cleaner unit, a member movable in timed relation to the travel of the locomotive, a supply of cleaning fluid, a'prime mover for moving said unit, and means controlledv by said member for periodically admitting cleaning fluid to said unit vfor cleaning parts ofthe boiler, said control means alsoacting to cause operation of the prime 11. In a locomotive, having a valve gear and a boiler, a blower cleaner unit, a source of cleaning iluid, and means responsive to movement of the valve gear lfor periodically acting to 'supply cleaning iuid from said source to said cleaner unit.

12. In combination with a locomotive having-a side wall water leg kand a movable part associated with the locomotive, a. source of cleaning fluid, a rotatable projectible blower unit normally housed within the said water leg, a valve controlling theY supply of cleaning iiuid from said source to said blower unit, reduction gearing including a cam member, means extending in the path oit' the cam, and connected to unseat the valve, means for transmitting motion from said movable part of the locomotive to said reduction gearing for causing said cam to periodically unseat the valve whereby cleaning lluid is supplied to project and rotate the blower.

13. In combination with a locomotive having side Wall water legs, a blower unit l0- cated in each of said water legs, a source of cleaning fluid, and means actuated by a moving part of the locomotive after the locomotive has travelled a predetermined distance for supplying cleaning iiuid selectively to said blowers. l

14. In combination with a locomotive having side wall water legs, a blower unit located in each of said water legs, a. source of cleaning fluid, reduction gearing including a ca m carrying element, a plurality of cams on said element, valves for controlling the supply of cleaning fluid to said blowers respectively, means operatively connected with said valves and projecting in the paths of said cams respectively, to effect an actuation of said valves from said cams, means actuated by a moving part of the locomotive after the locomotive has travelled a predetermined distance for acting on said reduction gearing to cause said cams to successively unseat said` valves to supply cleaning fluid to said blowers respectively. a 15. Incombination with a locomotive having a side wall water leg, a proj ectible blower unit, normally located within the water leg, avsource of cleaning fluid, and means operable upon a" predetermined travel of the locomotive for periodically admitting cleaning fluid from said source to said blower for proj ecting the same into operative posit-ion.

16. In combination with a locomotive having side wall water legs, a blower unit slidably housed in each of said water legs, a

Vsource of cleaning fluid, and means operable upon a predetermined travel of the locomotive for periodically admitting cleaning fluid from said source selectively to said blowers for projecting them into operative position. v

'17. The method of operating and cleaning a locomotive boiler consisting in providing a supply of cleaning fluid Vand blowing the cleaning fluid adjacent parts of the boiler to be cleaned periodically depending lon a predetermined distance travelled by the locomotive.

V18. The combination with a locomotive having a member movable in a predetermined relation to the travel of the locomotive, of a boiler cleaner unit, and vmeans dependent upon the movement of said member for actuating said unit.

19. The combination with a locomotive having a member movable in a predetermined relation to the travel of the locomotive, of a boiler cleaner unit, and a connection between said member and said unit for actuating said Yunit in timed relation to the travel of the locomotive.

20. The combination with a locomotive having a member movable in a predetermined relation to the travel of the locomotive, of a boiler cleaner unit, and means dependent upon the inoveinentof said member for actuating said unit, said means including a. cam

,actuated by said member vand a valve actuated by said cam for controlling the supply of cleaning fluid to the said unit.

21. yIhe combination with a locomotive having a part movable in responsive to the operation of the locomotive, of a boiler cleaner unit for cleaning parts of the boiler, and" means actuated by the said moving part for automatically controlling the operation of the said boiler cleaner unit.

22. The method of cleaning a locomotive boiler which consists in effecting a removal of the deposits from those surfaces of the boiler exposed to the products of combustion periodically in dependence upon the dist-ance travelled by the locomotive.

23. The method of cleaning a locomotive boiler which consists in electing a removal of the deposits from those surfaces of the boiler exposed to the products of combustion periodically in dependence upon the operation of the locomotive.

24. The method of cleaning a locomotive boiler which consists in discharging cleaning fluid adjacent portions of the boiler to be cleaned periodically in dependence upon the operation of the locomotive.

25. The combination with a locomotive, of means operable upon a predetermined operation olf the locomotive to eiiect a removal of the deposits from the surfaces of the boiler of the locomotive exposed to the products of said moving part Vfor effecting a removal of l the deposits from those surfaces of the boiler of the locomotive exposed to the products of combustion.

27. 'lhe combination with a locomotive having a part movable in response to the operation of the locomotive, of a plurality of boiler cleaner units for cleaning parts of the locomotive boiler, and means actuated by the said moving part for automatically controlling the operation of the said boiler cleaner units. y n

28. rlhe combination with a locomotive having a valve gear operable upon travel of the n locomotive, of a plurality of boiler cleaner units for cleaning parts of the locomotive boiler, and means controlled by the-movement of said valve gear for periodically effecting an actuation of said boiler cleaner units. y

29. The combination with a locomotive, of a rotatable boiler cleaner therefor, means for rotating said boiler cleaner, means for supplying cleaning fluid to said boiler cleaner, and means operable upon a predetermined travel of the locomotive forl automatically effecting an actuation of said rotating means.

80. The combination with a locomotive, of a rotatable and projectiley boiler cleaner therefor, said boiler cleaner beingprovided with a plurality of discharge nozzles for directing jets of cleaning fluid adjacent portions of the locomotive boiler to be cleaned, means for controlling the flow of cleaning fluid to said nozzles in dependence upon the rotation thereof, means for rotating said nozzles, and means for controlling the actuation of said rotating means and the supply of cleaning fluid to said boiler cleaner in dependence upon thedistance traveled by the ing a part movable in timed relation to the travel of the locomotive, of a plurality of boiler cleaners for the locomotive, means including a valve associated with each boiler cleaner for controlling the operation of said boiler cleaners, a rotatable member provided with a plurality of cams for actuating said valves, and connections between said rotatable member and the moving part of said locomotive for rotating said rotatable member in timed relation to the travel of the locomotive;

34. In combination, a locomotive, a plurality ofboiler cleaners therefor,and means for successively effecting an actuation of said boiler cleaners in dependence upon the distance traveled by the locomotive, said means including a cam member movable in timed relation to the travel of the locomotive, and a plurality of cams on said cam member for controlling the actuation of said boiler cleaners.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

- NORMAN L. SNOW. In testimony whereof I alHX my signature.

SAMUEL F. COX.

ionsv 

